He first learned piano with his father, but ran away from horn e at the age of sixteen to study in Berlin. In 1833 he was appointed organist in the chapel of the Prussian Embassy in Rome, and in 1837 was Kapellmeister and singing master in Vienna. From 1841 to 1847 he was Kapellmeister of the court opera in Vienna, and he founded the Philharmonic concerts there in 1842. In 1847 he was appointed director of the Berlin opera. He died of apoplexy.